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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Colts owner Jim Irsay said Wednesday night that he expected to release former Pro Bowl tackle Corey Simon within the next few days, ending months of speculation concerning Simon's future with the Super Bowl champions.

Simon did not pass his physical over the weekend. He was expected to report to camp on time Sunday but was never seen at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology.

Irsay on Wednesday tried to clarify Simon's status with the team.

"Hopefully, we'll have something worked out with that. I think he may pursue his opportunities somewhere other than here," Irsay said. "I think we may come to an agreement in the next few days and he may pursue other places to play. I think it's better to get it resolved in the next day or two."

Simon did not play last season and was eventually placed on the non-football illness/injury list with an undisclosed ailment. Since winning the Super Bowl, the Colts have been debating what to do with Simon.

"Free agency is really risky and when they came to me with the opportunity I was OK in going for it," Irsay said. "You know the risk is there and it simply didn't work out. But as an owner who pays the checks, winning the Super Bowl is a nice massaging balm cream to ease the pain."

Colts coach Tony Dungy said he had been in touch with Irsay concerning the move.

"I didn't know how far along we were but I knew that was the direction we were going," Dungy said.

Ending a relationship that owner Jim Irsay earlier in the week termed a "bad mistake," the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday afternoon terminated the contract of defensive tackle Corey Simon, who did not play a snap for the team in its Super Bowl XLI season in 2006.

Simon, 30, immediately becomes an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with another team in the league. The seven-year veteran, who reportedly failed a physical exam earlier this week, has indicated that he would like to resume his career.

Signed by the Colts in the summer of 2005, after the Philadelphia Eagles rescinded the franchise tag they had put on him earlier that spring, making him a free agent, Simon played 13 games for Indianapolis before suffering a knee injury. He missed much of the offseason program in the spring of 2006, and then was placed on the non-football injury list with what Colts' officials described as polyarthritis, and didn't play at all in 2006.

The Colts, who signed Simon to a five-year, $30 million contract, ended up paying him more than $14 million in bonuses and salaries. The club attempted to recover an $8 million option bonus paid to Simon in March of 2006, but were unable to recoup the money because of a ruling in a case involving former Denver Broncos first-round wide receiver Ashley Lelie.
Clearly, the Colts got very little return for a pricey investment. It is not known if Simon and the team arrived at some sort of settlement on his contract before Saturday's release. Irsay had hinted that an arrangement was being discussed.

The health problems of Simon last year also forced Indianapolis to make another move in 2006, trading a second-round choice in the 2007 draft to Tampa Bay for defensive tackle Anthony McFarland.

Given his recent illness, his injury history in general, and concerns about his conditioning, it will be interesting to see if any other teams pursue Simon now as a free agent. The defensive tackle position is difficult to fill and, at age 30, Simon, if he can convince teams that he is healthy, could be able to help someone's front four.

Although Simon does not offer the kind of inside pass-rush pressure he did early in his career, he is still a wide-body and capable of playing the run well.

A former Florida State standout, Simon was the Eagles' first-round selection in the 2000 draft, the sixth player chosen overall that year. In 91 games, he has recorded 245 tackles, 32 sacks, 14 passes defensed, nine forced fumbles and three recoveries. His resume includes one Pro Bowl appearance.